1. Field of the Invention
This invention relates to an image forming apparatus that is capable of forming images on tabbed sheets each having a tab projecting from one side edge thereof.
2. Description of the Related Art
Conventionally, there has been used an image forming apparatus that is capable of inserting recording sheets of a regular size, which are fed from a sheet feeding section designated for the regular size, into a desired position in recording sheets being copied or printed during one copy job or print job carried out in a mode in which originals are read such as a copy mode or print mode, or in a mode designated according to images written in PDL.
On the other hand, there has been used a copying machine that is capable of designating a position in record sheets of a regular size into which tabbed sheets having tabs (i.e. tabbed sheets having tabs projecting from one side edges thereof) are to be inserted, during one copy job for inserting the tabbed sheets into the recording sheets.
There has been proposed a copying machine that is capable of setting the number of divisions by tabbed sheets, that is, a number corresponding to a number of groups into which recording sheets are divided or grouped by one set of tabbed sheets (i.e. the number of tabbed sheets included in one set that is formed by sequentially stacking tabbed sheets having tabs at different positions; a bundle of a plurality of such sets of tabbed sheets are sold on the market), the shift amount of an image to be printed on a tab, and the like, when setting a tabbed sheet insert mode in which tabbed sheet insert positions are designated.
In a tabbed sheet insert mode or a tabbed sheet producing mode (these modes will be generically referred to as the tabbed sheet print mode) in a conventional copying machine that is capable of handling tabbed sheets, a tabbed sheet feeding section and the number of divisions by tabbed sheets are designated in a sequence of operations for setting the tabbed sheet insert mode and the tabbed sheet producing mode. In this sequence of operations, upon selection of the tabbed sheet insert mode or the tabbed sheet producing mode, 1) a sheet feeding section in which tabbed sheets are stored is designated first, 2) the number of tabbed sheets per set is set, and 3) the shift amount of an image to be printed on the tab of each tabbed sheet is set so that the image can be printed on the tab. Finally, 4) tabbed sheet insert pages are set.
Specifically, every time the tabbed sheet insert mode or the tabbed sheet producing mode is selected, the above mentioned setting operations 1) to 4) are carried out. Accordingly, a sheet feeding section in which tabbed sheets are stored and the number of tabbed sheets per set are set upon every selection of the tabbed sheet insert mode or the tabbed sheet producing mode.
Further, in recent years, there has been developed a digital copying machine that is connected to a network and is capable of giving an instruction for printing images on tabbed sheets if a tabbed sheet feeding section is provided in the case where the digital copying machine is used as a printer.
However, once tabbed sheets are placed in the tabbed sheet feeding section, the number of divisions by tabbed sheets placed on the tabbed sheet feeding section remains unchanged for a considerable time in many cases, and therefore, if the number of divisions by tabbed sheets displayed first is coincident with the number of divisions by tabbed sheets placed in the tabbed sheet feeding section in a sequence of operations for setting the tabbed sheet insert mode or the tabbed sheet producing mode, there is no necessity of changing the number of tabbed sheets per set. However, since the number of divisions by tabbed sheets is actually changeable, it is troublesome to set the number of divisions by tabbed sheets due to the necessity of depressing an OK key.
Further, since the number of divisions by tabbed sheets is set in a sequence of operations for setting a mode such as the tabbed sheet insert mode and the tabbed sheet producing mode, the set number of divisions by tabbed sheets placed in a tabbed sheet feeding section of a copying machine serving as a printer cannot be clearly recognized by a personal computer that is used to print images on the tabbed sheets.
It is therefore an object of the present invention to provide an image forming apparatus and a method of controlling the same that are capable of presetting a tabbed sheet feeding section and the number of divisions by tabbed sheets to make the setting operations easier in a tabbed sheet insert mode and a tabbed sheet producing mode during image formation, thus improving the operability.
To attain the above object, in a first aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of sheet feeding sections, an image forming section that forms images on tabbed sheets each having a tab projecting from one edge thereof, a mode setting section that sets a tabbed sheet print mode in which the image forming section forms an image on the tab of each of the tabbed sheets, and a control section responsive to at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets and a number of the tabbed sheets per set being set in advance, for enabling the mode setting section to set the tabbed sheet print mode.
In a preferred form of the first aspect, the image forming apparatus comprises a sheet feeding setting section that sets the at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets, and a sheet number setting section that sets the number of the tabbed sheets per set stored in the sheet feeding section.
In this preferred form, preferably, the control section is responsive to the at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets being set in advance by the sheet feeding setting section and the number of the tabbed sheets per set being set in advance by the sheet number setting section, for providing control so as to display an input screen for setting the tabbed sheet print mode.
More preferably, the control section provides control so as not to display an input screen for setting the tabbed sheet print mode when none of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets is set in advance by the sheet feeding setting section and the number of the tabbed sheets per set is not set in advance by the sheet number setting section
Preferably, the input screen includes a key for setting the tabbed sheet print mode.
Also preferably, the control section provides control so as to display a predetermined number of tabbed sheets per set on a screen displayed in the tabbed sheet print mode without requesting setting of the number of the tabbed sheets per set.
To attain the above object, in a second aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising a plurality of sheet feeding sections, an image forming section that forms images on tabbed sheets each having a tab projecting from one edge thereof, and a mode setting section that sets a tabbed sheet print mode in which the image forming section forms an image on the tab of each of the tabbed sheets, wherein the mode setting section omits to request setting at least a number of the tabbed sheet per set in setting the tabbed sheet print mode when at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets and a number of the tabbed sheets per set are set in advance before setting the the tabbed sheet print mode.
In a preferred form of the second aspect, the image forming apparatus comprises a sheet feeding setting section that sets the at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets, and a sheet number setting section that sets the number of the tabbed sheets per set stored in the sheet feeding section.
In this preferred form, preferably, the mode setting section requests setting the at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets and the number of the tabbed sheets per set in setting the tabbed sheet print mode when the at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets and the number of the tabbed sheets per set are not set in advance before setting the the tabbed sheet print mode.
More preferably, the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect comprises a storage section that stores the at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets and the number of the tabbed sheets per set, set in response to the request by the mode setting section in setting the tabbed sheet print mode.
Still more preferably, when setting of the number of the tabbed sheet per set was requested in setting the tabbed sheet print mode, the mode setting section omits to request_setting at least the number of the tabbed sheets per set in setting the tabbed sheet print mode next time.
Also preferably, the image forming apparatus according to the second aspect comprises a control section that displays the set number of the tabbed sheets per set on a setting screen in the tabbed sheet print mode.
To attain the above object, in a third aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming section connected to a terminal device, for forming images on tabbed sheets each having a tab projecting from one edge thereof according to an instruction from the terminal device, an interface section for providing interface between the image forming apparatus and the terminal device, a plurality of sheet feeding sections, a sheet feeding setting section that sets at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets, a sheet number setting section that sets a number of the tabbed sheet per set, and a data presenting section that presents the at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets, set by the sheet feeding setting section and the number of the tabbed sheets per set, set by the sheet number setting section, to the terminal device via the interface section.
To attain the above object, in a fourth aspect of the present invention, there is provided an image forming apparatus comprising an image forming section connected to a network having a plurality of terminal devices, for forming images on tabbed sheets each having a tab projecting from one edge thereof according to an instruction from any of the terminal devices, a network interface section, a plurality of sheet feeding sections, a sheet feeding setting section that sets at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets, a sheet number setting section that sets a number of the tabbed sheets per set, and a data presenting section that presents the at least one of the sheet feeding sections that stores the tabbed sheets, set by the sheet feeding setting section and the number of the tabbed sheets per set, set by the sheet number setting section, to the terminal devices via the network interface section.
Preferably, in the image forming apparatus according to the third or fourth aspect, the data presenting section presents at least the number of the tabbed sheets per set, set by the sheet number setting section, in response to reference from the terminal device.
To attain the above object, in a fifth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling an image forming apparatus that forms images on tabbed sheets each having a tab projecting from one edge thereof, comprising the steps of setting a sheet feeding section that stores the tabbed sheets, setting a number of the tabbed sheets per set, setting a tabbed sheet print mode in which an image is formed on the tab of each of the tabbed sheets, and enabling the tabbed sheet print mode to be set, in response to the sheet feeding section that stores the tabbed sheets and the number of the tabbed sheets per set being set in advance.
Preferably the method of controlling an image forming apparatus according to the fifth aspect comprises the step of inhibiting the tabbed sheet print mode from being set when the sheet feeding section that stores the tabbed sheets and the number of the tabbed sheets per set are not set in advance.
To attain the above object, in a sixth aspect of the present invention, there is provided a method of controlling an image forming apparatus that forms images on tabbed sheets each having a tab projecting from one edge thereof, comprising the steps of setting a sheet feeding section that stores the tabbed sheets, setting a number of the tabbed sheets per set, setting a tabbed sheet print mode in which an image is formed on the tab of each of the tabbed sheets, and omitting to request setting at least the number of the tabbed sheets per set in setting the tabbed sheet print mode when the sheet feeding section that stores the tabbed sheets and the number of the tabbed sheets per set are set in advance.
The above and other objects, features and advantages of the present invention will become more apparent from the detailed description taken in conjunction with the accompanying drawings.